Coupled inductor structures utilizing magnetic films

ABSTRACT

An inductor is disclosed, including a first wire, a non-conductive material, and a shell. The non-conductive material may cover the first wire, with a portion of each end of the first wire uncovered. The shell may include a top portion and a bottom portion and include at least one magnetized layer and at least one gap between the first portion and the second portion. The shell may also surround a portion of the non-conductive material.

PRIORITY INFORMATION

The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/335,075, entitled “COUPLED INDUCTOR STRUCTURES UTILIZING MAGNETICFILMS,” filed Mar. 20, 2019 (now U.S. Pat. No. 11,430,606), which is aNational Stage Entry of PCT/US2017/048506US, entitled “COUPLED INDUCTORSTRUCTURES UTILIZING MEGNETIC FILMS,” filed Aug. 24, 2017, which claimspriority to U.S. provisional Appl No. 62/398,352, entitled “COUPLEDINDUCTOR STRUCTURES UTILIZING MAGNETIC FILMS,” filed Sep. 22, 2016; thedisclosures of each of the above-referenced applications areincorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

Embodiments described herein are related to the field of magneticpassive circuit components. More particularly, these embodiments relateto a structure for and method of creating inductive devices.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Magnetic devices, such as, for example, inductors, may be used in avariety of circuits. Inductors may be used to resist fluctuations of anelectric current. The current stabilizing property of inductors makesthem useful in power supply circuits and voltage regulating circuits,helping to generate low noise power signals. Inductors may also be usedin wireless circuits, particularly as part of an antenna circuit.

Inductor designs may be consume a significant amount of circuit boardspace when compared to other circuit components. Due to this, someelectronic devices, in particular, small portable devices such assmartphones, for example, may use a minimal number of inductors to savespace. Limiting a number of inductors may result in more complex circuitdesigns with reduced performance. An inductor design is desired whichcan be implemented into circuits without consuming significant space.

SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Various embodiments of an inductive device are disclosed. Broadlyspeaking, an inductor is disclosed, including a first wire, anon-conductive material, and a shell. The non-conductive material maycover the first wire, with a portion of each end of the first wireuncovered. The shell may include a top portion and a bottom portion andinclude at least one magnetized layer and at least one gap between thefirst portion and the second portion. The shell may also surround aportion of the non-conductive material.

In a further embodiment, a cross section of the first wire may includeat least four sides. In another embodiment, the top portion of the shellmay include a plurality of magnetized layers, wherein each layer isseparated by a layer of non-conductive material, and wherein magneticproperties of each magnetized layer are different from one another.

In one embodiment, a second wire may be surrounded by the non-conductivematerial. The second wire may be parallel to the first wire, and thenon-conductive material may fill a region between the second wire andthe shell and between the second wire and the first wire.

In another embodiment, a cross section of both the first wire and thesecond wire may each correspond to a pentagonal shape. At least oneadjacent side of the first wire may be oblique to a closest side of thesecond wire.

In a further embodiment, a cross section of the top portion of the shellmay include a channel formed between the first wire and the second wire.A depth of the channel may be configured to impart a predeterminedamount of inductance to the first wire and to the second wire. In anembodiment, the top portion of the shell may include a first portion anda second portion with another gap between the first portion and thesecond portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following detailed description makes reference to the accompanyingdrawings, which are now briefly described.

FIG. 1 illustrates two views of an embodiment of an inductor: (a) athree dimensional view, and (b) a cross sectional view.

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross section of another embodiment of an inductor.

FIG. 3 includes two figures. FIG. 3(a) depicts a cross section of afurther embodiment of an inductor. FIG. 3(b) depicts a cross section ofa similar embodiment of an inductor including a channel in a magneticshell.

FIG. 4 illustrates a cross section of a portion of an embodiment of aninductor with a graded magnetic shell.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of an inductor with wires of adifferent shape.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of another inductor with a channel in amagnetic shell.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of an inductor created by combining twosimilar inductive structures.

FIG. 8 depicts another embodiment of an inductor created by combiningtwo similar inductive structures with a reduced number of wires.

FIG. 9 includes two figures. FIG. 9(a) illustrates an embodiment of aninductor created by combining two similar inductive structures,including a gap between the two structures. FIG. 9(b) illustrates asimilar embodiment of an inductor created using two similar inductivestructures, without a gap between the two structures.

FIG. 10 illustrates alignment of an embodiment of an inductor created bycombining two similar inductive structures.

FIG. 11 shows a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method forconstructing an inductor.

FIG. 12 shows a flow diagram of another embodiment of a method forconstructing an inductor.

While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications andalternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way ofexample in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. Itshould be understood, however, that the drawings and detaileddescription thereto are not intended to limit the disclosure to theparticular form illustrated, but on the contrary, the intention is tocover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within thespirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appendedclaims. The headings used herein are for organizational purposes onlyand are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description. Asused throughout this application, the word “may” is used in a permissivesense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatorysense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words “include,” “including,”and “includes” mean including, but not limited to.

Various units, circuits, or other components may be described as“configured to” perform a task or tasks. In such contexts, “configuredto” is a broad recitation of structure generally meaning “havingcircuitry that” performs the task or tasks during operation. As such,the unit/circuit/component can be configured to perform the task evenwhen the unit/circuit/component is not currently on. In general, thecircuitry that forms the structure corresponding to “configured to” mayinclude hardware circuits. Similarly, various units/circuits/componentsmay be described as performing a task or tasks, for convenience in thedescription. Such descriptions should be interpreted as including thephrase “configured to.” Reciting a unit/circuit/component that isconfigured to perform one or more tasks is expressly intended not toinvoke 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph (f) interpretation for thatunit/circuit/component. More generally, the recitation of any element isexpressly intended not to invoke 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph (f)interpretation for that element unless the language “means for” or “stepfor” is specifically recited.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Due to size and cost restraints, inductors may be under-utilized insmall portable electronics. Inductors can improve the performance ofsome power supply, voltage regulation, wireless, and current regulationdesigns. Advantages, therefore, may exist in having an inductor designthat is small and cost efficient for use in portable electronics. Insome embodiments, it may be advantageous to include one or moreinductive circuit elements coupled to an integrated circuit (IC),mounted either on or within the packaging of the IC, thereby freeingspace on a circuit board.

It is noted that an “inductor” refers to an electronic component thatresists changes in a current flowing through it. As current flowsthrough an inductor, some energy resulting from the flow of current istemporarily stored in a magnetic field. When current passing through theinductor changes, the resulting change in the magnetic field induces avoltage in the inductor, which opposes the change in current. The amountof the opposition to current changes imparted by the magnetic field ischaracterized by a ratio of the voltage to the rate of change of thecurrent, which is commonly referred to as inductance. Inductors may beemployed in a variety of circuit applications and may be constructedusing various manufacturing methods in order to achieve a desiredinductance value.

Two views of an embodiment of an inductor are presented in FIG. 1 . Athree dimensional view of Inductor 100 is shown in FIG. 1 a , while across-sectional view is shown in FIG. 1B. Inductor 100 includes Wires101 a and 101 b surrounded by Non-Conductive Material 104. A magnetizedshell is created from Upper Magnetized Shell Segment 102 and LowerMagnetized Shell Segment 103. Magnetized Shell Segments 102 and 103 areseparated from each other by Shell Gaps 105 a and 105 b. Each end ofWires 101 a and 101 b extends past Non-Conductive Material 104 andMagnetized Shell Segments 102 and 103, and may be coupled to respectivecircuit nodes, thereby adding inductance to signals transmitted viaWires 101 a-b. In some embodiments, terminals may be coupled to each endof Wires 101 a-b, providing connection points from Inductor 100 to therespective circuit nodes.

Wires 101 a-b may consist of any suitable conductive material, such as,but not limited to, gold, copper, aluminum, and the like. Wires 101 a-bare shown as being approximately equal in shape. In other embodiments,however, Wire 101 b may have different shape than Wire 101 a. Althoughtwo Wires 101 are shown, any suitable number may be used, such as onewire, or three or more wires. Non-Conductive Material 104 may includeany suitable substance, such as, but not limited to, silicon dioxide(i.e., glass), rubber, plastic, or combination thereof. Non-ConductiveMaterial 104 may be used to fill the space between Wires 101 a-b andMagnetized Shell Segments 102 a-b and 103 a-b providing support forWires 101 a-b and conductively isolating Wires 101 a-b from each otheras well as from the Magnetized Shell Segments 102 and 103. UpperMagnetized Shell Segment 102 and Lower Magnetized Shell Segment 103collectively form a magnetized shell along a length of Wires 101 a-b,increasing an amount of inductance associated with Wires 101 a-b.Magnetized Shell Segments 102 and 103 may consist of any suitablecompound capable of being magnetized, including, but not limited to,materials made with iron, cobalt, or nickel.

The amount of inductance in each of Wires 101 a-b may be determinedbased on several properties of Inductor 100. For example, the length ofMagnetized Shell Segments 102 and 103, as well as the magneticproperties of Magnetized Shell Segments 102 and 103, may influence amagnetic field generated by current flowing in either of Wires 101 a-b.A surface area of each of Wires 101 a-b that is exposed to the magneticfield may further influence the amount of inductance, as well as adistance between the outer surface of each of Wires 101 a-b and theinner surface of Magnetized Shell Segments 102 and 103.

In the illustrated embodiment, Wires 101 a-b are conductively isolatedfrom each other, but are inductively coupled. A current running throughWire 101 a may increase or decrease the inductance on Wire 101 b, andvice versa. If currents in each wire are in the same direction, then anamount of inductance may be increased on each wire. Conversely, if thecurrents are in opposite directions, then the amount of inductance maybe decreased in each wire.

Shell Gaps 105 a-b may be included to control a saturation current ofInductor 100. As used herein, a “saturation current” corresponds to anamount of current through either Wire 101 a or Wire 101 b that resultsin either or both of Magnetized Shell Segments 102 and 103 to reach amagnetic field limit. A current through either Wire 101 a or Wire 101 bincreases a magnetic field in Magnetized Shell Segments 102 and 103. Asthe current through the wire increases, so does the magnetic field ofthe shell segments. The saturation current corresponds to the amount ofcurrent through the wire that causes either Magnetized Shell Segment 102or 103 (or both) to reach a limit of magnetization, i.e., the magneticfield in the Magnetized Shell Segment 102 or 103 ceases to increase atthe same rate. If current through either wire of Inductor 100 reachesthe saturation current, then a signal traveling through Inductor 100 maynot be subjected to the expected amount of inductance and operation of acircuit coupled to Inductor 100 may be negatively impacted.

The shape and relative separations of Shell Gaps 105 a-b may be adjustedduring the manufacturing of Inductor 100 to modify the saturationcurrent level. For example, increasing the width of Shell Gap 105 aand/or Shell Gap 105 b may increase the saturation current, allowingInductor 100 to pass higher current values. Shell Gaps 105 a and 105 bmay also make the manufacturing of Inductor 100 easier, as a slightmisalignment between Magnetized Shell Segments 102 and 103 may not havea significant impact to the properties of Inductor 100.

It is noted that inductor 100 of FIG. 1 is merely an example fordemonstration of disclosed concepts. The illustrated components are notnecessarily shown to scale. The illustrated shapes, although shown withstraight lines, may include curves and jagged edges consistent with amanufacturing process, such as a semiconductor fabrication process.

Moving to FIG. 2 , a cross section of an embodiment of another inductoris illustrated. Inductor 200 is a variation of Inductor 100 of FIG. 1 ,and includes Wires 201 a and 201 b surrounded by Non-Conductive Material204. A magnetized shell is created from Upper Magnetized Shell Segments202 a and 202 b and Lower Magnetized Shell Segments 203 a and 203 b.Each of Magnetized Shell Segments 202 a-b and 203 a-b are separated fromthe closest adjacent Shell Segment by one of Shell Gaps 205 a-d. LikeInductor 100, each end of Wires 201 a and 201 b may be coupled torespective circuit nodes, thereby adding inductance to signalstransmitted via Wires 201 a and 201 b. Components of Inductor 200correspond to the descriptions of the similarly named and numberedcomponents of Inductor 100, except for differences as described below.

Shell gaps 205 c and 205 d may be added to further control a saturationcurrent of Inductor 200. Similar to the description of Inductor 100,gaps between Magnetized Shell Segments 202 a-b and 203 a-b may increasea saturation current of Inductor 200. Adding Shell Gaps 205 c-d to ShellGaps 205 a-b may further increase saturation current levels, allowingInductor 200 to pass higher current than without Shell Gaps 205 c-d.

Additionally, in some manufacturing processes, the widths of Shell Gaps205 c-d may be easier to control than the widths of Shell Gaps 205 a-b.Although four gaps are illustrated, any suitable number of Shell Gaps205 may be included, such as, e.g., removing Shell Gap 205 d such thatonly three gaps are included. Moreover, Shell Gaps 205 c-d may be placedat any suitable point along Magnetized Shell Segments 202 a-b and 203a-b. An asymmetrical alignment of Shell Gaps 205 c-d, may, however,result in different saturation currents for Wire 201 a compared to Wire201 b.

It is noted that inductor 200 of FIG. 2 is one example for demonstrationpurposes. Some operational details have been omitted to focus on thedisclosed subject matter. The illustrated components may not be shown toscale. Other embodiments may include more components.

Turning to FIG. 3 , two similar embodiments of an inductor are shown.FIG. 3(a) depicts a cross section of a further embodiment of aninductor, and FIG. 3(b) depicts a cross section of a similar embodimentof an inductor including a channel in a magnetic shell. Inductor 300 isanother embodiment of Inductor 100 in FIG. 1 and includes Wires 301 aand 301 b surrounded by Non-Conductive Material 304. As with Inductor100, a magnetized shell is created from Upper Magnetized Shell Segment302 a and Lower Magnetized Shell Segment 303. Magnetized Shell Segments302 a and 303 are separated from each other by Shell Gaps 305 a and 305b. Each end of Wires 101 a and 101 b extends past Non-ConductiveMaterial 104 and Magnetized Shell Segments 102 and 103, and may becoupled to respective circuit nodes.

In the illustrated embodiment, the form and function of Inductor 300 issimilar to the description of Inductor 100. Compared to Inductor 100,Inductor 300 includes extensions of Upper Magnetized Shell Segment 302 anext to Shell Gaps 305 a and 305 b. These extensions may provideadditional control for setting a desired saturation current in Inductor300.

In addition, Wires 301 a and 301 b have a hexagonal shape, created byeliminating the top two corners of each wire to create a chamfered orbeveled edge. The two beveled edges near the center of Inductor 300 may,in some embodiments, reduce an amount of inductive coupling between Wire301 a and Wire 301 b by reducing a surface area of the adjacent facingsides of each of Wires 301 a and 301 b. The two beveled edges nearestthe outside edges of Inductor 300 allow for Upper Magnetized ShellSegment 302 a to be brought in closer to each of Wires 301 a-b. Bringingthe magnetized shell closer to the wires may allow Wires 301 a-b to bein a stronger portion of a magnetic field from Upper Magnetized ShellSegment 302 a, thereby creating a higher level of inductance throughWires 301 a-b.

Inductor 310 of FIG. 3(b) includes the features of Inductor 300, with anaddition of Channel 306 to Upper Magnetized Shell Segment 302 b. LikeInductor 300, Inductor 310 includes Wires 301 a-b, Non-ConductingMaterial 304, and Lower Magnetized Shell Segment 303.

Compared to Inductor 300, Inductor 310 includes Channel 306 runningparallel to Wires 301 a-b. In the illustrated embodiment, Channel 306allows portions of Upper Magnetized Shell Segment 302 b to be closer toeach of Wires 301 a-b, thereby increasing the inductive coupling betweenUpper Magnetized Shell Segment 302 b and Wires 301 a-b. The addition ofChannel 306 may, in some embodiments, benefit further when combined withthe beveled edge design of Wires 301 a-b, by allowing Channel 306 tocome closer to each of Wires 301 a-b without making electrical contact.

A depth, denoted by the label “d” in FIG. 3(b), of Channel 306 may beadjusted to impart particular properties into Inductor 310. A greaterdepth may provide more coupling between Upper Magnetized Shell Segment302 b and Wires 301 a-b, but reduce inductive coupling between Wire 301a and Wire 301 b. A width (labeled “h” in FIG. 6 ) of Channel 306 maylikewise be adjusted to modify particular properties of Inductor 310.

It is noted that Inductors 300 and 310 in FIG. 3 are examples fordemonstration purposes. Some operational details have been omitted tofocus on the disclosed subject matter. In other embodiments, additionalcomponents may be included, such as additional Wires 301. Relative sizesand shapes of the illustrated components are not intended to be shown toscale, and may differ based on a fabrication process used in theconstruction of each Inductor 300 and 310. Although Inductor 310 showsChannel 306 as a part of Upper Magnetized Shell Segment 302 b, in otherembodiments, another channel may be created as a part of LowerMagnetized Shell Segment 303 in addition to, or in place of, Channel306.

Proceeding to FIG. 4 , a cross section of a portion of an embodiment ofan inductor with a graded magnetic shell is depicted. Inductor 400 maycorrespond to a portion of Inductor 100 or Inductor 200, and illustratesa more detailed embodiment of a magnetized shell. Inductor 400 includesWire 401 and Lower Magnetized Shell Segment 403. Multiple MagnetizedShell Segment Layers 402 a-d are placed between multiple Non-ConductiveMaterial Layers 404 a-404 d.

In the illustrated embodiment, an upper shell segment is created bylayering Magnetized Shell Segment Layers 402 a-d with Non-ConductiveMaterial Layers 404 b-404 d separating each magnetized layer. Each ofMagnetized Shell Segment Layers 402 a-d may, in some embodiments, havedifferent magnetic properties. A magnetic field of a magnetized objectis weaker at increasing distances from the object. If the magnetic fieldfrom Magnetized Shell Segment Layer 402 a is the same as MagnetizedShell Segment Layer 402 d, then Wire 401 would be subjected to more ofthe magnetic field of Layer 402 a than of Layer 402 d. By increasing thestrength of the magnetic field of Magnetized Shell Segment Layer 402 drelative to Layer 402 a, Wire 401 may be subjected to similar amounts ofmagnetic field from each magnetized layer.

In the illustrated embodiment, the magnetic field of each MagnetizedShell Segment Layer 402 a-d is increased corresponding to its respectivedistance from Wire 401. In some embodiments, the magnetic field of eachof Magnetized Shell Segment Layers 402 a-d may be determined byadjusting a thickness of each Layer 402 a-d, by using a differentmaterial to create each Layer 402 a-d, by subjecting each Layer 402 a-dto a different magnetization process, or any combination thereof. Inaddition, the thickness and/or composition of each Non-ConductiveMaterial Layer 404 a-404 d may be adjusted to produce the desiredproperties of Inductor 400.

The layered magnetic shell may provide a process for adjusting an amountof inductance through Wire 401 as well as a process for adjusting asaturation current for Inductor 400. Although not illustrated, LowerMagnetized Shell Segment 403 may also be created using this layeredapproach.

It is noted that the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 is an examplestructure. Only a portion of Inductor 400 is shown to highlightparticular aspects of the disclosed subject matter. In otherembodiments, any suitable number of layers may be used. The illustratedembodiment may be used in combination with the other inductor structuresdisclosed herein.

Moving now to FIG. 5 , an embodiment of an inductor with wires of adifferent shape is shown. Inductor 500 is another variation of Inductor100 in FIG. 1 . Similar to Inductor 100, Inductor 500 includes two Wires501 a-b surrounded by Non-Conductive Material 504. Upper and LowerMagnetized Shell Segments 502 and 503, respectively, collectively formmagnetized shell around Wires 501 a-b. Descriptions of Inductor 100apply to Inductor 500, with exceptions noted below.

In the illustrated embodiment, Inductor 500 differs from Inductor 100 bythe cross-sectional shape of Wires 501 a-b. Whereas the cross-section ofWires 101 a-b of Inductor 100 are shown as rectangles, the cross-sectionof Wires 501 a-b are illustrated as asymmetric pentagonal shapes. Thefacing Sides 506 of Wires 501 a-b are angled away from each other, e.g.,are oblique to each other, thereby reducing an amount of inductivecoupling between Wire 501 a and Wire 501 b. The angles of Sides 506 maybe adjusted to achieve a desired amount of coupling between Wires 501a-b.

The other sides of Wires 501 a-b may be created approximately parallelto corresponding sides of Upper and Lower Magnetized Shell Segments 502and 503. By making the sides of Wires 501 a-b parallel to thecorresponding sides of the magnetized shell, the magnetic fields coupledbetween Wires 501 a and 501 b and Upper and Lower Magnetized ShellSegments 502 and 503 may be increased and, in some embodiments, may bemore uniform as compared to Inductor 100. Wires 501 a-b are shown asbeing approximately equal in shape. In other embodiments, however, Wire501 b may have different size and/or shape than Wire 501 a.

It is noted that, as used herein, “parallel” is not intended to implytwo perfectly equidistant objects. Instead, “parallel” is intended todescribe two or more objects that are approximately uniform in distancefrom one another, within the limits of contemporary manufacturingcapabilities. It is noted that one of ordinary skill in the art wouldunderstand that parallel wires, as used herein, refer to two or morewires that are substantially parallel to each other, but may run askewof one another by several degrees due to limitations of themanufacturing capabilities.

It is further noted that FIG. 5 is merely an example. In otherembodiments, the structure of inductor 500 may differ from the structureillustrated. For example, although five sides for each wire are shown,any suitable number of sides may be utilized to correspond to variousshapes of the corresponding magnetic shell.

Turning now to FIG. 6 , another embodiment of an inductor with a channelin a magnetic shell is shown. Inductor 600 is similar in structure toInductor 310 in FIG. 3(b). Components of Inductor 600 are as describedabove in regards to Inductor 310, except where noted. Inductor 600includes Wires 601 a-b, Non-Conducting Material 604, and Upper and LowerMagnetized Shell Segments 602 and 603. Channel 606 is included in UpperMagnetized Shell Segment 602. Inductor 600 differs from Inductor 310 byexcluding the extensions of Upper Magnetized Shell Segment 302 a,leaving Shell Gaps 605 a and 605 b similar to Shell Gaps 105 a and 105 bdescribed in regards to Inductor 100 in FIG. 1 . Excluding theseextensions may simplify a process for manufacturing Inductor 600.

It is noted that Inductor 600 in FIG. 6 is one example for demonstrationpurposes. Some operational details have been omitted to focus on thedisclosed subject matter. The illustrated structures may not be shown toscale. Other embodiments may include more components.

Turning to FIG. 7 , an embodiment of an inductor created by combiningtwo similar inductive structures is illustrated. First InductiveStructure 700 a includes Wires 701 a-b surrounded by Non-ConductiveMaterial 704 a and partially covered by Magnetized Shell Segment 702 a.Second Inductive Structure 700 b includes Wires 701 c-d surrounded byNon-Conductive Material 704 b and partially covered by Magnetized ShellSegment 702 b.

Inductor 700 is formed by combining Inductive Structures 700 a and 700 bby inverting Structure 700 b and attaching it to the bottom of Structure700 a. Both Inductive Structures 700 a and 700 b may, in someembodiments, be created in a semiconductor fabrication process.Structure 700 a may be attached to Structure 700 b using any suitableadhesive, such as, for example, a non-conductive epoxy. Gap 703 mayinclude the adhesive as well as additional non-conductive material.Similar to the Shell Gaps 105 a-b discussed in regards to Inductor 100in FIG. 1 , Gap 703 between Structures 700 a and 700 b may be adjustedto achieve desired properties, such as an amount of inductance andcontrol a level of saturation current through Wires 701 a-d. In someembodiments, Wires 701 a-d may be conductively isolated from oneanother, resulting in Inductor 700 being capable of passing fourseparate signals. In other embodiments, Wires 701 a and 701 b may beconductively coupled to Wires 701 c and 701 d, respectively, resultingin Inductor 700 capable of passing two signals. In such embodiments,Wires 701 a and 701 c, as well as Wires 701 b and 701 d, may be attachedusing any suitable method, such as metal vias, metal bumps on theadjoining sides, and the like.

It is noted that FIG. 7 is merely an example. Although two wires areshown in each of Structures 700 a and 700 b, any suitable number ofwires may be used. Other inductive structures disclosed herein may beused in combination with the concepts disclosed in regards to Inductor700.

Moving to FIG. 8 , another embodiment of an inductor created bycombining two similar inductive structures with a reduced number ofwires is illustrated. A first Inductive Structure 800 a includes Wire801 a surrounded by Non-Conductive Material 804 a and partially coveredby Magnetized Shell Segment 802 a. Second Inductive Structure 800 bincludes Wire 801 b surrounded by Non-Conductive Material 804 b andpartially covered by Magnetized Shell Segment 802 b.

Inductor 800 is similar in design to Inductor 700 and the description ofInductor 700 may, therefore, apply to Inductor 800. Inductor 800demonstrates use of a different number of wires per each of Structures800 a and 800 b. Instead of two wires per structure, Structures 800 aand 800 b each include Wire 801 a and 801 b, respectively. Wires 801 a-bmay be attached to form a single conductor through Inductor 800, or maybe isolated so Inductor 800 includes two conductors. As described forInductor 700 above, a width of a gap between Structures 800 a and 800 b(Gap 803), may be adjusted to modify inductive parameters of Inductor800.

It is noted that FIG. 8 is an example for demonstrating disclosedconcepts. Relative sizes and shapes of the illustrated components arenot intended to be shown to scale, and may differ based on a fabricationprocess used in the construction of Inductor 800.

Turning now to FIG. 9 , two figures are shown. FIG. 9(a) illustrates anembodiment of an inductor created by combining two similar inductivestructures, including a gap between the two structures, while FIG. 9(b)illustrates a similar embodiment of an inductor without a gap betweenthe two structures. Inductor 900 is another variation of Inductor 700shown in FIG. 7 . Inductor 900 includes a first Inductive Structure 900a including Wires 901 a-b surrounded by Non-Conductive Material 904 aand partially covered by Magnetized Shell Segment 902 a. A secondInductive Structure 900 b includes Wires 901 c-d surrounded byNon-Conductive Material 904 b and partially covered by Magnetized ShellSegment 902 b. Inductive Structures 900 a and 900 b also includeChannels 905 a and 905 b, respectively.

Inductor 900 may be created as described above in regards to Inductor700. The addition of Channels 905 a and 905 b may provide furthercapabilities for controlling parameters of Inductor 900, such as a levelof inductance on Wires 901 a-901 d and a saturation current level.Although Channels 905 a-b are shown as having similar shapes, includingwidth and depth, each channel may be shaped independently to achievedesired properties. In some embodiments, either of Channels 905 a-b maybe omitted, leaving a single channel on one side of Inductor 900.

Similar to Gap 703 discussed in regards to Inductor 700 in FIG. 7 , Gap903 between Structures 900 a and 900 b may be adjusted, in combinationwith Channels 905 a and 905 b, to further achieve desired properties.Wires 901 a-d may be conductively isolated from one another, resultingin Inductor 900 being capable of passing four separate signals.

Similar to Inductor 900, Inductor 910 in FIG. 9(b), includes InductiveStructures 910 a and 910 b, each with a respective magnetized shell,Magnetized Shell Segment 902 c and Magnetized Shell Segment 902 d.Magnetized Shell Segments 902 c and 902 d each include a respective oneof Channel 905 c and Channel 905 d. Inductor 910 differs from Inductor900 by elimination of Gap 903. Wires 901 a and 901 c, as well as Wires901 b and 901 d of Inductor 900 are joined to create Wires 901 e and 901f, respectively. The two halves of Wires 901 e and 901 f, each includedin Inductive Structures 910 a and 910 b, may be attached using anysuitable method, such as metal vias, metal bumps on the adjoining sides,and the like. Similarly, Non-Conductive Material 904 a and 904 b arejoined to form a single Non-Conductive Material 904 c, surrounding bothWire 901 e and 901 f.

Magnetized Shell Segments 902 c and 902 d are illustrated as touching.In other embodiments, however, Magnetized Shell Segments 902 c and 902 dmay be trimmed, or otherwise shortened, to leave a gap between the twomagnetized shells on one or both sides of Inductor 910. Additionally,Inductor 910 differs from Inductor 900 in regards to the shape of Wires901 e and 901 f, which are beveled at the corners, similar to Wires 301a and 301 b of FIG. 3 . Beveling these corners of Wires 901 e and 901 f,may increase an inductive coupling to Magnetized Shell Segments 902 cand 902 d.

Inductor 910 may, in some embodiments, provide a higher amount ofinductance than some of the other embodiments disclosed herein, forinductors of a similar size. The adjacent sides of Wires 901 e and 901 fmay provide a greater amount of inductive coupling between the twowires, than, for example, Wires 301 a and 301 b in FIG. 3 . In addition,an ability to change the widths and depths of each of Channels 905 c and905 d may provide capability to adjust an amount of inductance coupledto each of Wires 901 e and 901 f from Magnetized Shell Segments 902 cand 902 d.

It is noted that Inductors 900 and 910 in FIG. 9 are merely examples.Relative shapes and sizes of components may also differ for variousembodiments, including, for example, the various geometries shownelsewhere herein. For example, the beveled corners of Wires 901 e and901 f may be omitted, leaving the wires in a rectangular shape. In otherembodiments, the number of Wires 901 included in Inductor 900 may vary.

Moving now to FIG. 10 , alignment of an embodiment of an inductorcreated by combining two similar inductive structures is illustrated.Inductor 1000 is a further variation of the concepts disclosed forInductor 700 in FIG. 7 . Inductor 1000 includes a first InductiveStructure 1000 a, including Wires 1001 a-b, Non-Conductive Material 1004a, Magnetic Shell Segment 1002 a, and Channel 1005. A second InductiveStructure 1000 b includes Wires 1001 c-d, Non-Conductive Material 1004b, and Magnetic Shell Segment 1002 b.

It is noted that, in the illustrated embodiment, Inductive Structures1000 a-b are dissimilar, in that Structure 1000 a includes Channel 1005,while Structure 1000 b does not include a channel. Additionally, Wires1001 a-b are approximately pentagonally shaped while Wires 1001 c-d arerectangular in shape. The dissimilarities are included to demonstratethat Inductive Structures are not required to be “mirror images” of eachother to be joined into a single inductor.

Expanded View 1003 illustrates a detailed image of a misalignment ofStructure 1000 a to Structure 1000 b. In the illustrated embodiment,misalignment of the two structures, in particular Magnetic ShellSegments 1002 a to 1002 b, may result in undesired properties forInductor 1000. The amount of inductance through Inductor 1000 may, insome embodiments, be reduced due to misalignment. Other adjustments, asdisclosed herein, may be used to mitigate potential reductions due tomisalignment. For example, any combination of sizes and shapes of Wires1001 a-d, widths and depths of Channel 1005, the thickness of MagneticShell Segments 1002 a to 1002 b, along with other properties, may beadjusted to compensate for potential reductions in the amount ofinductance due to tolerances of the manufacturing process.

It is noted that Inductor 1000 does not include extensions of MagnetizedShell Segments 1002 a-b at their closest points. Referring to Inductor100 in FIG. 1 , both Upper Magnetized Shell Segment 102 and LowerMagnetized Shell Segment 103 extend outward, away from Wires 101 a-b andapproximately parallel to each other. If the Magnetized Shell Segments102 and 103 are created using a layered process as described in regardsto FIG. 4 , then the outside layers are farther apart than the insidelayers at Shell Gaps 105 a-b. This unequal distance may cause losses inthe magnetic fields generated when current flows through either Wire 101a or 101 b.

In contrast, Magnetized Shell Segments 1002 a-b end askew to each other.As shown in Expanded View 1003, if Magnetized Shell Segments 1002 a-bare layered, then each layer is approximately the same distance from acorresponding layer in the opposing Magnetized Shell Segment 1002. Evenif Structure 1000 a is misaligned to Structure 1000 b, distances betweenrespective layers of Magnetized Shell Segments 1002 a-b may be similarfor each layer. Compared to Inductor 100, this higher level ofconsistency between the layers of Magnetized Shell Segments 1002 a-b mayresult in reduced losses in the magnetic fields generated when currentflows through any of Wires 101 a-d.

It is noted that FIG. 10 is merely one embodiment. Elements of theinductor 1000 may be combined with other concepts disclosed herein.Relative scales of the illustrated components may differ in otherembodiments.

It is also noted that any suitable combination of the inductorstructures disclosed herein are contemplated. For example, the shellgaps shown in Inductor 200 in FIG. 2 may be combined with the shapedwires of Inductor 500 in FIG. 5 and combined with a second suchstructure to form a mirrored inductor design similar to Inductor 900 inFIG. 9 . One or more channels could also be added to the magnetizedshells.

Moving to FIG. 11 , a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method forconstructing an inductor is shown. Method 1100 may be applied to amanufacturing process for creating an inductive structure, such as, forexample, any of Inductors 100 to 1000 presented herein. Referringcollectively to FIG. 1 and the flow diagram of FIG. 11 , Method 1100begins in block 1101.

A top portion of a shell is created (block 1102). A top portion of amagnetized shell is formed in a shape such as Upper Magnetized ShellSegment 102. Various methods may be utilized for creating the topportion of the magnetized shell, such as, e.g., a depositing a magneticmaterial via a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process or chemical vapordeposition (CVD) process. The magnetic material may include iron,nickel, cobalt, or other magnetic substance. The magnetic material maybe magnetized before it is deposited, or may be magnetized afterdeposition. In some embodiments, the top portion of the magnetized shellmay be created as described for Magnetized Shell Segment Layers 402 a-din FIG. 4 , by alternating layers of magnetic material with layers of anon-magnetic, non-conductive material. The top portion of the magneticshell may correspond to any suitable shape, including any shape of UpperMagnetized Shell Segments illustrated herein. One or more shell gaps, insome embodiments, may be created in the magnetized shell after the shellhas been created by etching a gap into the shell to create a top portionof the magnetic shell similar to Upper Magnetic Shell Segments 202 a-bin FIG. 2 .

A non-conductive material is placed within the top portion of themagnetic shell (block 1104). A non-conductive material, such as, forexample, silicon oxide (glass), nitride, plastic, rubber, and the like,is placed within the previously formed top portion of the magneticshell. Plastic or rubber compounds may be deposited with a similar CVDor PVD process. A glass material may be created by first placing asilicon layer (e.g., a polysilicon layer) and exposing it to high oxygenlevels under high temperatures. A nitride layer may be created in asimilar process by replacing the oxygen with nitrogen. When complete,the non-conductive material may fill all or most of a space within thetop portion of the magnetic shell.

One or more wires are created within the non-conductive material (block1106). Before a conductive metal may be added to form the wire, channelsmay need to be etched into the non-conductive material. Referring toFIG. 1 , after the non-conductive material is added, the space occupiedby Wires 101 a-b may be filled by the non-conductive material. An etchprocess may be used to form channels corresponding to a desired shapefor the wires, including shapes corresponding to Wires 101 a-b, Wires301 a-b in FIG. 3 , or Wires 501 a-b in FIG. 5 . After channels arecreated for the one or more wires, a conductive metal, such as, forexample, aluminum, copper, or gold, is placed into the channels, using,for example, a deposition process. In some embodiments, additionalnon-conductive material may be added to cover the newly formed wires.

A bottom portion of the magnetic shell is created (block 1108). Thebottom portion of the magnetic shell is formed using a similar processas used to create the top portion, as described in block 1102. In someembodiments, a planarization step may be performed prior to creating thebottom portion of the magnetic shell. If an inductor structure such asshown in FIGS. 7-10 is being manufactured, then the bottom portion ofthe magnetic shell may be omitted, and instead, two structures arecreated using operations included in blocks 1102 through 1106, and thenthe two structures are joined using an adhesive. The method ends inblock 1110.

It is noted that Method 1100 in FIG. 11 is an example process formanufacturing an embodiment of an inductor. The operations have beensimplified for clarity. In other embodiments, more or fewer operationsmay be included.

Proceeding to FIG. 12 , a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method forconstructing an inductor is shown. Method 1200, similar to Method 1100in FIG. 11 , may be applied to a process for manufacturing an inductivestructure, such as, for example, any of Inductors 100 to 600 presentedherein. Referring collectively to FIG. 1 and the flow diagram of FIG. 12, Method 1200 begins in block 1201.

A lower portion of a shell is created (block 1202). A lower portion of amagnetized shell is formed in a shape such as Lower Magnetized ShellSegment 103. The lower portion of the magnetized shell may be createdfrom similar materials, using similar processes as described above inblock 1102 of Method 1100. As previously disclosed, the magneticmaterial may be magnetized before it is deposited, or may be magnetizedafter deposition. In some embodiments, the lower portion of themagnetized shell may be created as described for Magnetized ShellSegment Layers 402 a-d in FIG. 4 , by alternating layers of magneticmaterial with layers of a non-magnetic, non-conductive material. Thelower portion of the magnetic shell may or may not include a channel gapas described in regards to FIG. 6 . One or more shell gaps, in someembodiments, may be created in the magnetized shell after the shell hasbeen created by etching a gap into the shell to create a lower portionof the magnetic shell similar to Lower Magnetic Shell Segments 203 a-bin FIG. 2 .

A non-conductive material is placed on top of the lower portion of themagnetic shell (block 1204). A non-conductive material, such as, forexample, silicon oxide, nitride, plastic, or rubber, is placed on top ofthe previously formed lower portion of the magnetic shell. Any suitableprocess such as disclosed above in regards to block 1104 of Method 1100may be used to place the non-conductive material. The non-conductivematerial may be placed with a thickness corresponding to a desired widthof a gap such as, for example, Shell Gap 205 a-b in FIG. 2 . In otherembodiments, the non-conductive material may be placed thicker than thedesired width of the gap and then the excess removed using a processsuch as, e.g., an etch or a planarization process.

One or more wires are created on top of the non-conductive material(block 1206). A conductive metal, such as, for example, aluminum,copper, or gold, is placed on top of the non-conductive material, using,for example, a deposition process. In some embodiments, the metal may bedeposited over all of the non-conductive material, and then the excessmetal etched away to leave the wires in a desired shape. In addition,the non-conductive material may be shaped to support a non-rectangularwire shape, such as shown in FIG. 5 , by Wires 101 a-b andNon-Conductive Material 504.

Additional non-conductive material is placed on top of and around theone or more wires (block 1208). Additional non-conductive material isplaced around the one or more wires created in block 1206. In someembodiments, the non-conductive material is etched after being placed toconform to a desired shape for an upper portion of the magnetized shell.

A upper portion of the magnetic shell is created (block 1210). The upperportion of the magnetic shell is formed using a similar process as usedto create the lower portion, as described in block 1202. Thenon-conductive material surrounding the one or more wires may be etchedprior to creating the upper portion of the magnetic shell in order toestablish a shape for the upper portion. For example, referring to FIG.6 , a channel may be etched into the non-conductive material to createChannel 606. The upper magnetic shell is created using one or morelayers of a magnetic material such as, for example, iron, nickel,cobalt, or other magnetic substance. As described above, the uppermagnetized layer may be magnetized before application or after beingcreated. The method ends in block 1212.

It is noted that Method 1200 in FIG. 12 is an example process formanufacturing an embodiment of an inductor. The operations have beensimplified for clarity. In other embodiments, more or fewer operationsmay be included.

Although specific embodiments have been described above, theseembodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the presentdisclosure, even where only a single embodiment is described withrespect to a particular feature. Examples of features provided in thedisclosure are intended to be illustrative rather than restrictiveunless stated otherwise. The above description is intended to cover suchalternatives, modifications, and equivalents as would be apparent to aperson skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.

The scope of the present disclosure includes any feature or combinationof features disclosed herein (either explicitly or implicitly), or anygeneralization thereof, whether or not it mitigates any or all of theproblems addressed herein. Accordingly, new claims may be formulatedduring prosecution of this application (or an application claimingpriority thereto) to any such combination of features. In particular,with reference to the appended claims, features from dependent claimsmay be combined with those of the independent claims and features fromrespective independent claims may be combined in any appropriate mannerand not merely in the specific combinations enumerated in the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus, comprising: an inductor, including:a first wire; a second wire, parallel to the first wire; anon-conductive material covering the first wire and the second wire; anda shell, including an upper portion and a lower portion, surrounding aportion of the non-conductive material, wherein the shell includes atleast one magnetized layer, wherein the shell includes a particular gapbetween the upper portion and the lower portion at which thenon-conductive material is not covered, and wherein the upper portion ofthe shell includes a first part and a second part with a different gapbetween the first part and the second part at which the non-conductivematerial is not covered.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein theparticular gap and the different gap run parallel to each other for alength of the shell.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the particulargap and the different gap run parallel to the first and second wires fora length of the shell.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lowerportion of the shell includes a first part and a second part withanother gap between the first part and the second part of the lowerportion.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper portion of theshell includes a plurality of magnetized layers, wherein each layer isseparated by a layer of non-conductive material, and wherein magneticproperties of each magnetized layer are different from one another. 6.The apparatus of claim 5, wherein a strength of a magnetic field of afirst magnetized layer of the plurality of magnetized layers is greaterthan a strength of a magnetic field of a second magnetized layer of theplurality of magnetized layers that is closer to the first and secondwires than the first magnetized layer.
 7. An apparatus, comprising: aninductor, including: a first wire; a second wire, parallel to the firstwire; a non-conductive material covering the first wire and the secondwire; and a shell, including an upper portion and a lower portion,surrounding a portion of the non-conductive material, wherein the shellincludes at least one magnetized layer, wherein a cross section of theupper portion of the shell includes a channel formed between the firstwire and the second wire, wherein the shell includes a particular gapbetween the upper portion and the lower portion at which thenon-conductive material is not covered, and wherein the lower portion ofthe shell includes a first part and a second part with a different gapbetween the first part and the second part at which the non-conductivematerial is not covered.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein theparticular gap and the different gap run parallel to each other for alength of the shell.
 9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the particulargap and the different gap run parallel to the first and second wires fora length of the shell.
 10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the lowerportion of the shell includes a first part and a second part withanother gap between the first part and the second part of the lowerportion.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the another gap runsparallel to the different gap for a length of the shell.
 12. Theapparatus of claim 7, wherein the upper portion of the shell includes aplurality of magnetized layers, wherein each layer is separated by alayer of non-conductive material, and wherein magnetic properties ofeach magnetized layer are different from one another.
 13. The apparatusof claim 12, wherein a strength of a magnetic field of a firstmagnetized layer of the plurality of magnetized layers is greater than astrength of a magnetic field of a second magnetized layer of theplurality of magnetized layers that is closer to the first and secondwires than the first magnetized layer.
 14. An apparatus, comprising: afirst inductor, including: a first wire; a second wire, parallel to thefirst wire; a first non-conductive material covering the first wire andthe second wire; and a first upper shell surrounding a portion of thefirst non-conductive material, wherein the first upper shell includes atleast one magnetized layer, and wherein a cross section of the firstupper shell includes a channel formed between the first wire and thesecond wire; and a second inductor, including: a third wire; a fourthwire, parallel to the third wire; a second non-conductive materialcovering the third wire and the fourth wire; and a second upper shellsurrounding a portion of the second non-conductive material, wherein thesecond upper shell includes at least one magnetized layer; wherein thesecond inductor is inverted and attached on a bottom of the firstinductor to form an inductive device, wherein the first wire and thethird wire are parallel to each other.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14,further comprising a gap between the first upper shell and the secondupper shell.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the gap runsparallel to the first and second wires for a length of the first andsecond upper shells.
 17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the firstwire is conductively coupled to the third wire and the second wire isconductively coupled to the fourth wire.
 18. The apparatus of claim 14,wherein the channel runs parallel to the first wire and the second wire.19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein a cross section of the secondupper shell includes a different channel formed between the third wireand the fourth wire.
 20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the firstupper shell and the second upper shell each include a plurality ofmagnetized layers, wherein each layer is separated by a layer ofnon-conductive material, and wherein magnetic properties of eachmagnetized layer are different from one another.